Mary Fraser Grant was born on June 26, 1802 in Inverness, Inverness-shire, Scotland and christened there on July 16, 1802 by Rev. Ronald Bayne of the "Chapel of Ease" (witnesses present were John Fraser, Esq. and Alexander Fraser). Her parents were John Grant (He was a merchant; son of Alexander Grant, Society schoolmaster, who lived at the Fairburn Estate located in the Urray Parish) and Jean Fraser. Mary was one of 10 children. They were Hectorina Kennedy (perhaps named after Hector Kennedy, a Philadelphia merchant), Simon Fraser, Alexander Fraser Grant, Janet Ann, Jane Wellington, Catherine Ross (probably named after her paternal step-grandmother), Rachel Magdalene, John, and Signay C..
The Grants, after living in Inverness and Glasgow for a short period, arrived in New York on July 3, 1807 (John Grant had a connection to James Hamilton Sr. and Co., merchants in Glasgow). They first lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and attended the First Presbyterian Church (several of Mary's siblings were christened there by Rev. James Patriot Wilson). Mary was educated at "The Young Ladies' School" (an Englishman named Mr. Stephen Addington was the Superintendant). The Grants then traveled west to Illinois, by boat on the Ohio River, and arrived in Shawneetown on December 16, 1818 with Caleb and Helena Llyod Ridgway (later to become Mary's brother and sister in-laws). Finally the Grants settled in Carmi, White County, IL.
Mary married John Ridgway on January 4, 1821 in White County, Illinois. The officiant was Rev. David Wilson McLin of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Enfield, White County, Illinois (near Carmi). The Ridgways had six children named Thomas Shannon (named after family doctor in Carmi), Harriette (Mrs. Dwight Noble Lathrope), George Alexander, John Grant, Eliza (Mrs. John R. Olney Sr.), and Sarah Jane (Mrs. Edgar Mills and Mrs. Silas Hemmingway). John was a merchant, son of Quakers named John Ridgway Sr. and Elizabeth Wright, and the executor of Mary's father's estate (there is a photograph of John Sr. in his 80's available at Georgetown University, and his house still exists in Monmouth County, NJ). John and Mary lived on a farm. A very well educated woman, Mary home-schooled her children and gave piano lessons to supplement their income. In 1832 the Ridgways moved to Shawneetown where she kept a school. Mary died there on September 23, 1839.
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Grant family notes:
1) Biography about Mary Fraser Grant's paternal Grandfather, Alexander Grant. The source is a book called SSPCK Schoolmasters (Scottish Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge):
"Grant, Alexander: Tollie (par. Rosskeen); 1758-1759. Strathrousdale (par. Rosskeen; presb Tain); 1766-1774 Fairburn (par. Urray); 1774-1818. 1811, 53 yrs service; asked for allowence for a boy to help in winter; taught pupils to translate English to Gaelic. 30 Mar. 1818, died."
2) Mary's father, John, paid Jeremiah Hartenbower's passage to America in exchange for four years of service. Jeremiah was a tailor from Germany.
3) Grant burial locations:
Mary had three siblings buried at Westwood. They were Hectorina Kennedy Grant Honfleur, Rachel Magdalene Grant, and Signay C. Grant. Another sibling, Alexander Fraser Grant (an Illinois Circuit Judge), was buried at the Old State Cemetery in Vandalia, Fayette County, IL. Their parents were probably buried in the Old Carmi Cemetery, but there are no visible stones now. They both died in 1820 from a bilious disease that wiped out most of Carmi's population. Also, Mary had an uncle and two aunts that were probably buried at "Old Urray" in Scotland. They were Alexander Grant, Ann Grant (Mrs. Donald McKenzie), and Catherine Grant.
********************************
Some sources for Grant and Ridgway Information:
Historic Walnford- The home of Mary's sister-in-law, Sarah Ridgway (Mrs. Nicholas Waln). The museum has transcribed Ridgway letters from Illinois.
Mary Smith Fay Genealogy Library - Library of the White County Historical Society. They have files on the Ridgways and Grants.
Highland Council Archives.
********************************
The Grants, after living in Inverness and Glasgow for a short period, arrived in New York on July 3, 1807 (John Grant had a connection to James Hamilton Sr. and Co., merchants in Glasgow). They first lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and attended the First Presbyterian Church (several of Mary's siblings were christened there by Rev. James Patriot Wilson). Mary was educated at "The Young Ladies' School" (an Englishman named Mr. Stephen Addington was the Superintendant). The Grants then traveled west to Illinois, by boat on the Ohio River, and arrived in Shawneetown on December 16, 1818 with Caleb and Helena Llyod Ridgway (later to become Mary's brother and sister in-laws). Finally the Grants settled in Carmi, White County, IL.
Mary married John Ridgway on January 4, 1821 in White County, Illinois. The officiant was Rev. David Wilson McLin of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Enfield, White County, Illinois (near Carmi). The Ridgways had six children named Thomas Shannon (named after family doctor in Carmi), Harriette (Mrs. Dwight Noble Lathrope), George Alexander, John Grant, Eliza (Mrs. John R. Olney Sr.), and Sarah Jane (Mrs. Edgar Mills and Mrs. Silas Hemmingway). John was a merchant, son of Quakers named John Ridgway Sr. and Elizabeth Wright, and the executor of Mary's father's estate (there is a photograph of John Sr. in his 80's available at Georgetown University, and his house still exists in Monmouth County, NJ). John and Mary lived on a farm. A very well educated woman, Mary home-schooled her children and gave piano lessons to supplement their income. In 1832 the Ridgways moved to Shawneetown where she kept a school. Mary died there on September 23, 1839.
********************************
Grant family notes:
1) Biography about Mary Fraser Grant's paternal Grandfather, Alexander Grant. The source is a book called SSPCK Schoolmasters (Scottish Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge):
"Grant, Alexander: Tollie (par. Rosskeen); 1758-1759. Strathrousdale (par. Rosskeen; presb Tain); 1766-1774 Fairburn (par. Urray); 1774-1818. 1811, 53 yrs service; asked for allowence for a boy to help in winter; taught pupils to translate English to Gaelic. 30 Mar. 1818, died."
2) Mary's father, John, paid Jeremiah Hartenbower's passage to America in exchange for four years of service. Jeremiah was a tailor from Germany.
3) Grant burial locations:
Mary had three siblings buried at Westwood. They were Hectorina Kennedy Grant Honfleur, Rachel Magdalene Grant, and Signay C. Grant. Another sibling, Alexander Fraser Grant (an Illinois Circuit Judge), was buried at the Old State Cemetery in Vandalia, Fayette County, IL. Their parents were probably buried in the Old Carmi Cemetery, but there are no visible stones now. They both died in 1820 from a bilious disease that wiped out most of Carmi's population. Also, Mary had an uncle and two aunts that were probably buried at "Old Urray" in Scotland. They were Alexander Grant, Ann Grant (Mrs. Donald McKenzie), and Catherine Grant.
********************************
Some sources for Grant and Ridgway Information:
Historic Walnford- The home of Mary's sister-in-law, Sarah Ridgway (Mrs. Nicholas Waln). The museum has transcribed Ridgway letters from Illinois.
Mary Smith Fay Genealogy Library - Library of the White County Historical Society. They have files on the Ridgways and Grants.
Highland Council Archives.
********************************
Mary Fraser Grant was born on June 26, 1802 in Inverness, Inverness-shire, Scotland and christened there on July 16, 1802 by Rev. Ronald Bayne of the "Chapel of Ease" (witnesses present were John Fraser, Esq. and Alexander Fraser). Her parents were John Grant (He was a merchant; son of Alexander Grant, Society schoolmaster, who lived at the Fairburn Estate located in the Urray Parish) and Jean Fraser. Mary was one of 10 children. They were Hectorina Kennedy (perhaps named after Hector Kennedy, a Philadelphia merchant), Simon Fraser, Alexander Fraser Grant, Janet Ann, Jane Wellington, Catherine Ross (probably named after her paternal step-grandmother), Rachel Magdalene, John, and Signay C..
The Grants, after living in Inverness and Glasgow for a short period, arrived in New York on July 3, 1807 (John Grant had a connection to James Hamilton Sr. and Co., merchants in Glasgow). They first lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and attended the First Presbyterian Church (several of Mary's siblings were christened there by Rev. James Patriot Wilson). Mary was educated at "The Young Ladies' School" (an Englishman named Mr. Stephen Addington was the Superintendant). The Grants then traveled west to Illinois, by boat on the Ohio River, and arrived in Shawneetown on December 16, 1818 with Caleb and Helena Llyod Ridgway (later to become Mary's brother and sister in-laws). Finally the Grants settled in Carmi, White County, IL.
Mary married John Ridgway on January 4, 1821 in White County, Illinois. The officiant was Rev. David Wilson McLin of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Enfield, White County, Illinois (near Carmi). The Ridgways had six children named Thomas Shannon (named after family doctor in Carmi), Harriette (Mrs. Dwight Noble Lathrope), George Alexander, John Grant, Eliza (Mrs. John R. Olney Sr.), and Sarah Jane (Mrs. Edgar Mills and Mrs. Silas Hemmingway). John was a merchant, son of Quakers named John Ridgway Sr. and Elizabeth Wright, and the executor of Mary's father's estate (there is a photograph of John Sr. in his 80's available at Georgetown University, and his house still exists in Monmouth County, NJ). John and Mary lived on a farm. A very well educated woman, Mary home-schooled her children and gave piano lessons to supplement their income. In 1832 the Ridgways moved to Shawneetown where she kept a school. Mary died there on September 23, 1839.
********************************
Grant family notes:
1) Biography about Mary Fraser Grant's paternal Grandfather, Alexander Grant. The source is a book called SSPCK Schoolmasters (Scottish Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge):
"Grant, Alexander: Tollie (par. Rosskeen); 1758-1759. Strathrousdale (par. Rosskeen; presb Tain); 1766-1774 Fairburn (par. Urray); 1774-1818. 1811, 53 yrs service; asked for allowence for a boy to help in winter; taught pupils to translate English to Gaelic. 30 Mar. 1818, died."
2) Mary's father, John, paid Jeremiah Hartenbower's passage to America in exchange for four years of service. Jeremiah was a tailor from Germany.
3) Grant burial locations:
Mary had three siblings buried at Westwood. They were Hectorina Kennedy Grant Honfleur, Rachel Magdalene Grant, and Signay C. Grant. Another sibling, Alexander Fraser Grant (an Illinois Circuit Judge), was buried at the Old State Cemetery in Vandalia, Fayette County, IL. Their parents were probably buried in the Old Carmi Cemetery, but there are no visible stones now. They both died in 1820 from a bilious disease that wiped out most of Carmi's population. Also, Mary had an uncle and two aunts that were probably buried at "Old Urray" in Scotland. They were Alexander Grant, Ann Grant (Mrs. Donald McKenzie), and Catherine Grant.
********************************
Some sources for Grant and Ridgway Information:
Historic Walnford- The home of Mary's sister-in-law, Sarah Ridgway (Mrs. Nicholas Waln). The museum has transcribed Ridgway letters from Illinois.
Mary Smith Fay Genealogy Library - Library of the White County Historical Society. They have files on the Ridgways and Grants.
Highland Council Archives.
********************************
The Grants, after living in Inverness and Glasgow for a short period, arrived in New York on July 3, 1807 (John Grant had a connection to James Hamilton Sr. and Co., merchants in Glasgow). They first lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and attended the First Presbyterian Church (several of Mary's siblings were christened there by Rev. James Patriot Wilson). Mary was educated at "The Young Ladies' School" (an Englishman named Mr. Stephen Addington was the Superintendant). The Grants then traveled west to Illinois, by boat on the Ohio River, and arrived in Shawneetown on December 16, 1818 with Caleb and Helena Llyod Ridgway (later to become Mary's brother and sister in-laws). Finally the Grants settled in Carmi, White County, IL.
Mary married John Ridgway on January 4, 1821 in White County, Illinois. The officiant was Rev. David Wilson McLin of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Enfield, White County, Illinois (near Carmi). The Ridgways had six children named Thomas Shannon (named after family doctor in Carmi), Harriette (Mrs. Dwight Noble Lathrope), George Alexander, John Grant, Eliza (Mrs. John R. Olney Sr.), and Sarah Jane (Mrs. Edgar Mills and Mrs. Silas Hemmingway). John was a merchant, son of Quakers named John Ridgway Sr. and Elizabeth Wright, and the executor of Mary's father's estate (there is a photograph of John Sr. in his 80's available at Georgetown University, and his house still exists in Monmouth County, NJ). John and Mary lived on a farm. A very well educated woman, Mary home-schooled her children and gave piano lessons to supplement their income. In 1832 the Ridgways moved to Shawneetown where she kept a school. Mary died there on September 23, 1839.
********************************
Grant family notes:
1) Biography about Mary Fraser Grant's paternal Grandfather, Alexander Grant. The source is a book called SSPCK Schoolmasters (Scottish Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge):
"Grant, Alexander: Tollie (par. Rosskeen); 1758-1759. Strathrousdale (par. Rosskeen; presb Tain); 1766-1774 Fairburn (par. Urray); 1774-1818. 1811, 53 yrs service; asked for allowence for a boy to help in winter; taught pupils to translate English to Gaelic. 30 Mar. 1818, died."
2) Mary's father, John, paid Jeremiah Hartenbower's passage to America in exchange for four years of service. Jeremiah was a tailor from Germany.
3) Grant burial locations:
Mary had three siblings buried at Westwood. They were Hectorina Kennedy Grant Honfleur, Rachel Magdalene Grant, and Signay C. Grant. Another sibling, Alexander Fraser Grant (an Illinois Circuit Judge), was buried at the Old State Cemetery in Vandalia, Fayette County, IL. Their parents were probably buried in the Old Carmi Cemetery, but there are no visible stones now. They both died in 1820 from a bilious disease that wiped out most of Carmi's population. Also, Mary had an uncle and two aunts that were probably buried at "Old Urray" in Scotland. They were Alexander Grant, Ann Grant (Mrs. Donald McKenzie), and Catherine Grant.
********************************
Some sources for Grant and Ridgway Information:
Historic Walnford- The home of Mary's sister-in-law, Sarah Ridgway (Mrs. Nicholas Waln). The museum has transcribed Ridgway letters from Illinois.
Mary Smith Fay Genealogy Library - Library of the White County Historical Society. They have files on the Ridgways and Grants.
Highland Council Archives.
********************************
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